Suction cleaner



H. E. HOOVER sUcTIoN CLEANER Filed Aug. 8, 191'? 4 sheets-sheet 2.

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Marr. 20, H923. LlMQUB l H. E. HOOVER l SUGTIONCLEANER f Filed Aug. a,1917 4 sheets-sheet 4 Patented Mar. 20, T923.

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HOWARD EARL HOOVER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE HOOVER COMPANY, OF NORTH CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATIONOF OHIO.

SUCTON CLEANER.

i Application led. August 8, 1917. Serial No. 185,200.

T o all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD EARL HOOVER, apcitizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful lmprovement in Suction Cleaners, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanylng drawings wherein Figure l is a plan view with parts broken.away;

Figure 2 is a section along the line 2 2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a side elevation;

Figure 4 is a section along the line 4 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a section along the line 5 5 of Figure l;

Figure 6 is a section along the line 6 6 of Figure l;

Figure 7 is a front elevation.

Like parts are indicated by like characters in all the figures.

A is a suction cleaner housing. Tt contains a fan chamber A1, a suctionor brush chamber A2 communicating with the fan chamber through the portA3, and it has an open suction mouth. A4. A5 is a motor housing mountedon the rear side of the suction cleaner housing A. Tt contains a motorarmature A6 mounted on a shaft A". A8 is a suction fan carried by theshaft AY mounted for rotation in the fan chamber A1. A A are front fixedsupporting wheels mounted for rotation on the axles A1 on brackets A11rojecting rearwardly from the rear wall 12 of the suction chamber A2 sothat the supporting wheels are immediately behind the open suction mouthand located between the planes passing through i the ends of the suctionmouth or nozzle.

These wheels are so located in order that thev sweeper may be run out tothe edge of the ru without danger of their running off and al owing theweight of the mechanism to rest upon the nozzle.

B B are lugs depending downwardly from the motelhousing A5 and spacedapart. B1

.is a shaft extending between them. B2 B2 are supporting leversrotatably mounted on the shaft B1 joined adjacent such shaft b thesleeve B3. B4 is a shaft passing throng the outer ends of such leversupon which are mounted thev'separated Wheels B5 B5. B2 1s a nut locatedbetween the opposed ends of said levers held in position between suchends by set screws B7 upon which it is plvotally mounted. B8 is anadjusting screw screw-threaded' in the nut B2 slotted as at B2 so thatit may be rotated by means of a screwdriver. It has a round head B10engaging a pocket B11 on the under side of the motor housing A5 wherebythe levers may be rocked about the shaft B1 by rotation of the screw.The wheels B5 are so spaced apart that their outer sides are locatedsubstantially in a vertical plane tangential to the opposed sides of the-cylindrical motor housing.

The motor A6 does not occupy the entire,

length of the motor housing A5. C is a wall closing 0H that part of thehousing containing the motor. C1 is a sleeve concentric with the motor.housing integral at one end with the wall C and at thel other end withthe wall C2 which forms the rear wall of the fan chamber A1. This sleevecontains the bearings C3 C4 which support the shaft A?. Between thesebearings is a worm C5 rigidly mounted on the shaft. This worm is in meshwith a worm gear C6 on the cross shaft or jack shaft or powertransmitting shaft C1. CB is a housing depending downwardly from thesleeve C1 and completing a closure which contains `@the worm and wormgear and a portion of the shafts A7 and C7 and which carries bearings C9C9 in which the shaft C7 is rotatably mounted. The shaft C7 extends outparallel with the suction mouth toward one end of the suction cleanercasing being enclosed within a sleeve C11 communicating with the housingC8. This sleeve contains at its outer end a bearing C12 in whlch theshaft is mounted and is itself rigidly attached to a belt housing C12extending rearthe spaced and separated bristle groups D2.

This brush body contains at either end/bear-i/ ing sleeves B2 rotatablymounted upon a fixed Shaft D4.

- these plates D'surrounding the shaft D4 arev perforated flanged guardplates D, These plates are located between the ends of the brush and theplates D5 and the flange D7 thereon overhangs the end of the brush butis out of contact therewith. D8 are perforations thro-ugh the ends ofthe suction chamber, and D2. are perforations through the plates D5.These perforations are in register and communicates with the open spacebetween the guard plates and the plates D5 so that air may be drawnthrough such perforations into such open spaces, pass thence through theperforationsin the guard plates and out between the flanges D7 and theends ofthe brush.l D10 is a removable belt pulley on one end of thebrush. The pulley is so placed in order that the bristles may be evenlyarranged along the entire length of the brush without interruption sothat there will be no'unswept porti'on of the carpet and thus theeffective length of the brush is not decreased. It partially overhangsthe flange D7 but is out of contact with it. C10 is a belt travellingover the pulleys D10 C14 whereby the brush may be rotated by therotation of the shaft C7. D11 is an aperture in the outer side' wall ofthe housing C12 closed by a removable plate D12 whereby access may behad to the belt pulley `C14 and end of the shaft C7 for adjustment ofthe parts or for a removal of the belt from the pulley when for somereason it is desired to cease the power driving of the brush. C15 isahole in the housing C13. I

F is an aperture in the downwardly and forwardly inclined upper wall ofthe suction housing A2. It is' normally closed by means of the removableplate F1. It is bounded by an inwardly extending flange F2 which flangeon its upper^ side extends clear in to join the wall F3 surrounding theupper portion of the port A2. F4 is a sleeve adapted to penetrate theport F. It is slotted at F5 to engage a pin Fe on the flange F2 wherebythe sleeve will be compelled always to penetrate the opening F in thesame direction. This is necessary ,because the sleeve is cut ofi' alonga diagonal plane owing to the fact that it must close completely theport A3. If the sleeve before being inserted were to be rotated therewould be the possibility that the longer portion F1' might pass inthrough the port .A3 and be engaged by the fan. F2 is a reduced portionidapted to be engaged by the suction hose G is a discharge passageextending outwardly from the fan chamber A1 in a genengage screw holdingbolts G7 G8. The lug G5 is provided with a radial slot to engage thebolt G7, the lug G6 with a. tangential slot being adapted Ato engage thebolt GS. Thumb nuts G2 on said bolts are adapted to clamp the sleeve G4rigidly against the flange-G2. G1" is a large open mouthed bag its openmouth surrounding the sleeve GL and held in position thereon by theV'contractile collar G11. This bag is impervious to dust but permits theair to pass through, and forms therefor the usual dust receptacle intowhich the dust laden air is discharged by the suction fan.

The upper portion of the motor housing A5 is apertured as at Himmediately behind the fan chamber A1. Located within this aperture isan electric switch H1 contained partially within the housing andprojecting partially thereabove. which may be operated by the vfoot orhand of the operator. H3 is a sleeve in the wall of the motor housing A5communicating with that portion of the housing occupied by the switchH1. H4 is lan electric conductor passing inwardly through such sleeveand' communicating with the'switch. H1 is an electrical conductor'communicating with the switch and passing through the aperture H6 in thewall C to communicate with and provide power for the operation of themotor A". The conductor Hl1 communicates with any suitable source ofpower not here indicated for furnishing the electric current to themotor to operate the apparatus.

J is a handle bail pivoted on pins J1 J1 on opposed sides of the motorhousing A5. This handle bail is curved upwardly as indicated at J2 inorder that the greatest height of the machine will be in .line with thefan chamberand the cleaner can thus berun far underl low pieces offurniture before the handle beyond the bail contacts with the lower partof the furniture, and thus without the necessity of lowering the handleto a position parallel with the floor. It is large enough to clear therear end of the moto-r housing A5. J2 is a handle mounted in the socketJ4 on the handle bail.

A good many features of the f suction sweeper to which I have referredare not here shown in detail and where some are shown, more or less in,detail they are not described. .This is because they form no part ofthe subject matter of the present invention and as to some of thembecause they have been -elsewhere in other applications made the subjectof claims. I wish it under-- lstood that while the drawings here.present- H2 is the switch lever Leganes ed are in fact based upon aworking machine the same are for the purposes of this case to be takenas diagrams and not as necessarily limitin me to the particularstructure shown. Tt will be obvious that very considerable variations insize, shape and proportions of some or all of the parts together withthe substitution of othersifor some of those here shown could be madewithout departing from the spirit of my invention. y

The use and operation of my invention are as follows The motor isenclosed so no dust can reach the bearings from that side.- The fantends to throw the dust away from the bearings so that there is littletendenc for dust to work in except as it may sett e on the end. Thus allthe bearings except the brus-h bearings themselves are outside the lineof travel of any dust particles borne by the dust laden air. All themechanisms interposed between the motor shaft and the' brush whichcooperate to drive the brus-h are located outside the path of the dustladen air.

The dust laden air which is projected outI tangentially from the fan isguided by the curved wall of the discharge passage into a dischargeopening parallel with the axis' of the fan where it is discharged into adust bag. The dust bag is of the ordinary type and is fastened inposition on a flange surrounding the opening by means of two lugs one ofthem with a radial slot engaging a fixed pin. The parts are broughttogether by first engaging the pin with this slot and then swinging t ebag sleeve over so that a tangential hook on the opposed side engagesanother pin and the parts may then be locked into position. In thisarrangement there is no possibility of the bag being accidentallydisengaged because lit is necessary :first to rotate the whole bag andsleeve be- -fore the tangential hook can be disengaged and then to liftup the whole bag and sleeve before the radial slot can be disengaged.

The passageway from the brush chamber to the fan chamber is reduced to aminimum length or` occupies but a minute portion of the brush chamberwhich includes both the fan chamber and this passageway. This brings thebrush chamber proper and the fan chamber into close relation and theparticles picked up by the brush and projected rearwardly and upwardlyalong straight lines may actually without any change of direction merelby the force given them by the brush be tlirown into the fan chamberwhere they may be driven ofi' by the fan. In other words this apparatusis so arranged that it will be possible to pick up a heavy particle soheavy that the air could not move it at all and carry it through theapparatus and discharge it in the dust bag merely by the projectingpower of the brush and then of the fan without any reference whatever tothe carrying power of the air.

The hole C15 in the housing C13 will permit a small amount of fresh airfrom the outside to pass through said housing and be taken out withv thecurrent of air passing through the machine. The object of such anarrangement if it becomes necessary though it might not be in many,kcases necessary, would be to clear' the otherwise dead air space in thishousin and thus tend further to protect the bearings and the operativeparts from dust and dirt.

The worm housin C8 is adapted to hold a .lubricant which is ed up intothe operating upper and lower portion, is placed high up and far abovethe drive gear and far above the level of oil which under any ordinaryconditions would be maintained in this housing. This tends to reduce thedanger of leakage or escape of oil at such split.

The casing is so arranged that it presents one and the same surface towhich the bag is attached and also to which the motor casing isattached. This surface in the case shown is substantially vertical,though it might be inclined, but by thus having these two parts, the bagconnections and the motor casing, attached to surfaces in the same planethe processes of manufacture are greatly facilitated.

l claim:

1. In a suction cleaner, a casing, a frame pivoted intermediate its endson a long fulcrumed pin to the bottom of the casing. widely separatedrollers rotatably mounted on one end of the frame and beneath thecasing, a screw device swiveled to the bottom of the casin and screwthreaded to the other end of the rame.

2. ln a suction cleaner, a casing, a frame pivoted intermediate its endson a long fulcrumed pin to the bottom of the casing, widelyf' separatedrollers rotatably mounted on one end of the frame and beneath thecasing, a screw device swiveled to the bottom of the casing andscrewlthreaded to the other end of the frame,'saidA screw devicecontaining a head whereby it is suspended on theA bottom of the casinand a screw slot in its other end whereby 1t may be rotated.

3. A suction cleaner comprising a case with an inlet opening andasuction chamber, a motor mounted on the case, a brush mounted near theinlet opening, a power transmission device connecting the motor and thebrush and .containing a pulley on the brush, a belt operativelyconnecting the motor with said pulley, a belt housing at one end of thecase and substantially closed except at the end where it opens into thesuction chamber and its forward part forming part of the .suctionchamber and a jack shaft lll@ connected at one end with the motor and atthe other projecting through the wall of the belt housing and providedwith a pulley to receive the belt.

4. A suction cleaner comprising a case with an inlet opening and asuction chamber, a motor mounted on the case, a brush mounted near theinlet opening, a power transmission device connecting the motor and thebrush and containing a pulley on the brush and a belt operativelyconnecting the motor with said pulley, and a belt housing at one end ofthe case and substantially opening into the suctionl chamber and itsforward part forming part of the suction chamber at one end and providedat the other end with an opening and a closure therefor.

5. A suction cleaner comprising a case with an inlet opening and asuction chamber, a motor mounted on the case, a brush 4mounted near theinlet opening, a power transmission device connecting the motor and thebrush and containing a pulley on the end of the brush, a beltoperatively connecting the motor with said pulley, a belt housing at oneend of the case and substantially closed' except at the end where itopens into the suction chamber and its forward part formin part of thesuction chamber, and at the ot er end a shaft projecting through theWall of the belt housing and provided with a pulley to receive the belt,said belt housing provided with an opening beyond the pulley and aclosure therefor.

6. In a suction cleaner thev combination of a casing having an inletopening and a suction chamber with a brush near the inlet opening, amotor mounted on the casing and power transmission means from the brushtothe motor comprising a belt, a pocket which encloses the same andforms part of the suction chamber, and a jack shaft from the motor tothe belt.

7. In a suction cleaner the combination of a casing having an inlet'opening and a suction chamber with a brush near the inlet opening, amotor mounted on the casing and power transmission means from the brushto the motor comprising a belt, a pocket which encloses the same andforms part of the suction chamber, a jack shaft from the motor to thebelt and a sleeve which surrounds the jack shaft.

` suction chamber near the inlet, a motor fmount'ed on the casing andpower transmission means from the rotating part to the motor and housingor pocket, which encloses such power transmitting means and at one endopens into and forms part of the suction chamber and is provided with afree air inlet opening at its other end.

9. In a suction cleaner thecombination of a casing having a suctionchamber and an inlet with a. brush mounted near the inlet, a fan housingforming a fan chamber, a fan therein, said chamber connected to saidsuction chamber and provided with an outlet, and a brush drivingmechanism comprising a motor and a transmission mechanism therefrom tothe brush lying wholly Y outside of the path of the dust laden air, ahousing for the motor separate from said fan housing, and a housing fora portion of the transmission mechanism between them,

motor and transmission mechanism there from to the brush lying whollyoutside of the path of travel of the dust laden air, a belt forming partof the transmission mechanism, said motor housing separate from said fanhousing and a housing partially closed along its bottom which containsthe belt and which opens into and forms part of the suction chamber.

11. In a suction cleaner the combination of a casing having at one end abrush and fan and housing therefor and at the other a motor and housingtherefor, said housings separated, transmission mechanism locatedintermediate the said housings, and inclnding a belt from the -motor tothe brush and a housing therefor, said belt lying outside the path voftravel of the dust laden air, a housing partially close'd along itsbottom containing the transmission mechanism, .connected with the brush,which housing opens into and forms part of the suction chamber. v

12. In a suction cleaner the combination of a casing having an inletwith a brush mounted near the inlet, a fan,'a motor, a shaft for themotor and shaft bearings for the same, transmission mechanism from theshaft including a connection which leads to the brush, said transmissionmechanism,

motor and allthe bearings except those of the brush lying outside of thepath of travel of the dust laden air, a housing partially closed alongits bottom-Which contains the transmission mechanism connected with thebrush and which opens into and forms part Y of the suction chamber.

13. In a suction cleaner a rear/'support Laeaooe 14. ln a suctioncleaner the combination of a casing having a suction chamber and withinthe suction chamber a suction mouth, and a brush mounted adjacent saidmouth driving means for said brush and a housing for such driving meansplaced out of line with the bristles of the brush whereby the rotatingbristles do not throw particles into the driving means housing, thehousing opening only into the suction chamber and forming part of thesuction chamber.

l5. In a suction cleaner the combination of a casing having an inletwith a brush mounted adjacent said inlet, a driving means for rotatingthe brush, a casing for such driving means said casing opening into soas lto form part of the brush chamber at one end and provided with anopening at the other and means for drawing a current of air through suchlast mentioned casing and the inlet mouth.

16. A suction sweeper casing including a suction nozzle, a rotatingbrush therein, a belt housing leading therefrom, a pulley on said brush,said belt housing being attached to the casing and closed except whereit opens into the suction chamber to permit passage of the brushoperating means.

In testimony whereof I aii'ix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses this 27th day of July, 1917.

HOWARD EARL HOOVER.

Witnesses:

`MARION L. lNGRAHAM, LYDIA M. SYiLvANUs.

